


Voltron's Non-Denominational Winter Special

by mattysones



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Hot Springs & Onsen, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Trans Male Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-09-30 23:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mattysones/pseuds/mattysones
Summary: "May I suggest," Pidge's voice interrupted, "we need to take a break."Done for the Winter Shklance Exchange.





	Voltron's Non-Denominational Winter Special

**Author's Note:**

  * For [onlyinafigurativesense](https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyinafigurativesense/gifts).



> Oh boy. I had so many ideas to fill this prompt, and not enough time. I really wish I could have fleshed this out and had more purely shklance scenes. I ... don't think this is what you were hoping for, marcmorrigan, but I hope you enjoy it regardless, and I had fun writing it.
> 
> Merry Belated Christmas, and I hope everyone's New Years is full of joy and hope!

The Lions floated at their snail's pace (several hundred miles per hour, but still not enough), gaps between universes empty and quiet. Space was exactly that; space. Vast emptiness. Planets could be billions of miles apart and it was possible to go weeks without seeing anything.

They were into the second month of their tedious travels. Krolia and Keith were experts at fabricating tasks to fill the time, but with less opportunities to forage than when they had been stranded for two years, cleaning, exercising, and running drills became quickly repetitive.

They were all going stir crazy.

"I'm just saying," Lance was rambling over the comms while he cleaned from somewhere in Red's leg, "I think Shiro and I should lead calisthenics. But it has to be like, seventies-style with leggings and legwarmers. We could make a video and market it," he paused, to hold his hands like he could see a billboard, "The Paladins of Voltron's Workout Routine: How to be bendy and punch people." When no one responded except for Hunk's tired sigh, Lance huffed, "I'm still working on the title."

"May I suggest," Pidge's voice interrupted, "we need to take a break."

"How would you suggest that?" Allura asked from Blue. She and Romelle exchanged looks, an ear piece clipped to Romelle's ear to keep her in the conversation. "We haven't seen anything in weeks."

When Pidge responded immediately everyone knew Pidge already had an idea. "Good news!" She brought up some star charts from her place in Green's cockpit, and flicked them so any of the Paladins could see them. 

Keith startled from his place in Black's belly, beckoning to Krolia to look at the chart with him. 

"We're coming up on an ice planet," Pidge explained once all of her messages had been accepted -except Shiro's because he was in the middle of a nap, "There's a blue giant star nearby with several planets orbiting. Only one of these planets seem habitable, but it's in its early stages of life with volcanic activity under its outer crust --"

Everyone heard Lance whisper, "Hot springs."

Pidge smiled and brought up the shaky image of the upcoming ice planet, not able to get a great read on it until they were closer because of the Lions' low power, "Yes Lance, hot springs. And we shouldn't be accosted by locals. I can't be sure until we're closer about life forms, but it's a fairly new planet."

"Aw, I like locals," Hunk and Lance said simultaneously.

"And listen, guys," Pidge added, "Did you realize what month it is on Earth?"

She gave them a moment, but when no answer was forthcoming Pidge answered, "December! I thought..." she trailed off sheepishly, cutting herself off.

Keith spoke up even as he tried to study the map she'd sent, "You thought what, Pidge?"

Pidge flopped in the cockpit chair, surrounded by green, fiddling with her sleeves, "Christmas was a big deal with my family. I was wondering if we could, I dunno, do Christmas-y things while we were around a snowy but not-deathly-cold planet?"

Krolia turned on her mic, "Christmas is an important celebration to Earthlings, is it not?" She let her gaze slide questioningly to Keith, who nodded.

"Some, not all." Pidge said, sounding like she was convincing herself it was a bad idea to ask, "If there's not a consensus..."

"No!" Coran stopped her, meandering from somewhere within Black, "Tell us about this celebration! Perhaps we can all contribute with something similar."

Lance's voice came softly, "Voltron's Non-Denominational Winter Special."

Keith groaned, "We're not making a show out of this experience."

Coran chimed in, "We could write it in our memoirs instead!"

There were several protests.

* * *

"I'm good." Shiro said when he heard about the plans.

He'd been sleeping a lot since his revival, and tended to nod off during long conversations. Distracted, he wasn't always mentally present for long conversations if he was awake at all. No one minded him resting.

Keith and Lance came to Shiro's makeshift bunk to update him about the ice planet, crowding around him. Keith was ready to accept Shiro's refusal, but Lance pushed immediately, "Why!?" Lance cried, visibly upset, "It'd give you a chance to actually relax, and see something besides the inside of a stinky ship--"

Black growled softly, not appreciating being called stinky.

"Lance," Shiro said gently but with a pinch of irritation, "The last time I was on a snow planet I nearly starved and froze to death."

Lance's shoulders slumped, "Oh."

Keith, who had known this, shifted uncomfortably, "Pidge is excited," he offered, "She wants to have a Christmas."

Guilt flickered across Shiro's face, and he glanced at Lance who was listening but also pouting. He looked down at his single hand and flexed his fingers, "I'll think about it."

Keith nodded and dipped forward to hug Shiro, and Lance tucked between them to land a kiss on either of their cheeks.

* * *

Pidge still screamed whenever someone teleported into Green via Kosmo without prior knowledge.

Lance was already halfway through a ramble when he gave Kosmo a pat and stepped towards Pidge's flightseat where she was curled into it, poking away at Green's screens, "...okay so I think this one I'm gonna need help with - stop screaming, it's just me - 'cause we don't have the material generators anymore and-"

"Lance." Pidge wheezed and rubbed her forehead, "I need you to back up. Also you need to like, send me a pre-arrival notice or something, before you teleport in here."

"Sorry." Lance backpedaled while he visibly rewired his dialogue. He crossed his arms over his chest, "I know what I want to get Keith as his Non-Denominational Winter-Themed Present , but I'm going to need help making it."

She tilted her head back and looked at Lance upside down, who seemed to be fretting; she'd address that later, "Okay. What is it?"

Lance's eyes skittered to the side, "I wanna make him a new binder."

Pidge's eyebrows furrowed, "He's all muscle now and he gained like five inches. His chest is probably ..."

"It is." Lance said with many emotions, not the least being envy, admiration and 'yeah that's mine'. He raised his hands to his own chest and made a grabbing motion, "I found out he outgrew his old one and hasn't had _anything_. His Marmora armor is ..." Lance's eyes narrowed, "Fitting. It'd have to fit comfortably under that too."

Pidge groaned, "He goes commando under that?"

Lance nodded, lips smirking, "He has to. Mostly."

"Ug."

Lance's expression shifted to 'lecherous' and Pidge raised a hand to bat him away from her chair. Lance laughed and barely had to lean back to avoid her.

Pidge sighed, "And what about Shiro?"

Lance frowned, "What about him?"

"What are you getting ... making, him?" Pidge asked.

"Uh yeah, about that." Lance rolled his neck and dramatically flopped on top of Pidge's chair so his arms flailed around her, making her sputter in response, "He's being reclusive and doesn't want anything to do with snow because of memories."

Disappointment flickered in Pidge's eyes and she pouted, "Anything?"

"I don't know," Lance admitted, shifting so his hands on the back of her chair so he propped his upper body, "I'm still brainstorming."

"Is that why you're all moody?"

His lower lip jutted out, "I'm not moody."

Pidge smirked and turned back to Green's panels, "Okay."

* * *

The Lions sat in a neat circle on top of a massive volcano. The mountainous ridges protected them from most of the wind, but the cold was still bitter, and despite the lack of snow on the ground where they were parked, the ground was still frozen. Pidge, Lance and Keith, emerged into the cold and discussed how to proceed. Pidge had found what she thought might be an easily accessible hotspring, but some logistics needed worked out.

Lance complained a significant amount of time, holding himself and shivering, "You know," he griped at the group as a whole, "I _know_ you said 'unoccupied', but somehow I was still imagining like, buildings and an accessible path."

Pidge smirked while she fiddled with the scanner on her arm, "You were thinking of the kind of places Shiro would go to when he was visiting relatives, weren't you?"

Lance gave her a _look_ , "I _knew_ how this would be, but yes, I built it up in my head."

Shiro's voice came through the comms, sounding vaguely amused, "I'm afraid I don't know how to build those kind of buildings. I could set you up with a nice tent, though."

Lance made a smoochy face at his helmet, knowing full-well Shiro couldn't see him, "Don't you worry snookums, I wouldn't ask you to brave this tundra just so I can have a spa day."

"He's making that face, isn't he?" Shiro asked.

Krolia's amused voice came over the comms, "Is this normal courting behavior for humans?"

Keith looked tired, "For Lance it is. Now, about scouting--"

Pidge jabbed at her wrist scanner, "I just want to take a water sample to make sure we won't be boiled or melted alive or anything. The Blue Lion's sonar has limits. Then we can dig out a path or something with Yellow. I don't know about shelter ..."

Krolia interrupted her, "Do you need a three-man team for this?"

Pidge looked up to the Black Lion, imposing against the blue-white sky, "If there's animals bigger than me, which isn't hard, to be bigger than me I mean, I'd feel better having some backup."

Lance grinned into his mic, "Also Keith and I have to have a super-secret discussion. No Shiro's Allowed. We'll be turning off our mics but we'll be able to hear you. Pidge," he looked at Pidge, "Turn yours off too, I don't want them picking up our voices through your helmet."

"Wait." Keith froze, wide-eyed, "Did you want me with you to talk about _Christmas gifts?_ "

Shiro sighed loudly, "Guys..."

"And scouting!" Pidge said cheerily.

Coran's voice suddenly boomed in their helmets, "Is this about the Secret Gift-Giving Extravaganza!?" He demanded, "I cannot concede to cohorts in cahoots, collaboration or collusion! The assignments were for _individuals_."

Lance made a loud hissing noise into his mic, "KRRSH THE WIND SUDDENLY PICKED UP KRRSH TALK TO YOU SHORTLY KRRRSH BYE--" then switched off his mic. Shiro and Krolia were still protesting loudly. Lance gestured to Keith, "C'mon, do yours."

Keith groaned, "Lance--"

Pidge found her direction and started toward an area that had some snow drifts spilling in from the side of the volcano, "Less complaining, more walking. You guys hash things out while we scout."

Lance rubbed his hands together and bounded forward, ignoring the scolding still coming through the comms, "So, Shiro." He looked expectantly at Keith.

Keith sighed, his exasperation ruined by the slight smile that he tried to hide with his helmet. He followed Pidge and Lance, talking but taking their scouting much more seriously. "Shiro said he didn't want part of this."

Lance looked at him, "What he _said_ is he wasn't interested in leaving the Lions, unless we needed him outside. He was fine with the gift-giving."

"Oh." Keith supposed that was true; Lance didn't seem to be pushing for the springs, "I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not good at gift-giving."

"Somehow I doubt that." Lance looked over his shoulder. He waited until Keith caught up and reached to grab Keith's hand, giving it a slight squeeze before releasing him. Keith rubbed his fingers together happily, despite his grumpy expression. "What were things that Shiro liked? Before?"

"You've asked me that before." Keith said. He saw something flit from the corner of his eye and tracked it to the top the volcano, before finding a small black bird. 

"Yeah, but that was in a more general sense." Lance kept his eyes ahead, "We can't give him a bike race, or greasy food from a diner. What physical things did he used to have?"

Keith frowned as he thought; being the military, personal items were limited for the sake of space. What was important enough to Shiro at the time, to keep in the apartment with his then-fiance?

"Newton's cradle." Keith said.

Lance paused, "Sorry?"

"He liked those little..." Keith gestured vaguely, "Physics toys? Those balls that go back and forth, and he thought Rube Goldberg machines were funny."

Lance hummed thoughtfully, when Pidge's voice carried from a small gust of wind from the distance, "Hey guys!" She called.

Keith and Lance looked up, alert, both relaxing when they could see her waving from the hazy distance.

"I found a spring!" She yelled. Pidge waited until the other two caught up before explaining. "The temperature should be good, and there doesn't seem anything life-threatening in the water. I mean," she thought for a moment, "Assuming there's no parasites or anything. When we scan for life we don't look for micro-organisms--"

Lance spoke loudly, "SO I'M HEARING THE WATER IS PROBABLY SAFE."

Pidge grinned up at him, "Probably. I'll use Blue to run another scan for critters while you guys figure out a shelter."

"SPA DAY." Lance punched the air with excitement, and Pidge and Keith both laughed.

* * *

After the initial chaos of getting a camp set up, the noise quieted but no one came to give Shiro a progress report. Boredom and concern motivated him out of the corner he'd made himself into a bedroom/living space.

No sign of life in Black. A peek out of Black's bridge windows showed Allura, Coran and Pidge mulling around their designated as their hotspring. Kosmo bounded around happily in the snow drifts, phasing from place to place. Right as Shiro considered walking outside to Red, Kosmo appeared beside him with the soft tinkle he made.

"Hey boy." Shiro pat Kosmo's head, "Do you know where Lance and Keith are?"

Kosmo made a snuffling sound and nudged Shiro's hand onto his mane. Shiro grabbed and was suddenly flying through empty space before reappearing in ... Yellow?

There was quite a commotion coming from... Shiro glanced around; Yellow's left back leg. Hunk's workshop. 

Lance's voice yelped.

"Watch your fingers!" Hunk scolded.

Shiro peeked around the corner, to see some kind of wooden ... apparatus being built. He squinted at it, trying to figure out what a series of levers and pulleys could be used for. He apparently wasn't being subtle enough because both Lance and Hunk looked up.

"Shiro!" Lance squeaked. He was covered in sawdust and a few scrapes. Unsubtly, he snatched something off the apparatus and stashed it in his pocket, "Why aren't you resting?" Lance hurried over hugged him, smelling faintly of pine.

Shiro reciprocated with his good arm, although it felt like Lance was trying to hide Shiro's line of sight, "No one gave me a status report. I got nervous." He peeked over Lance, resting his chin on Lance's shoulder, "Watcha makin'?"

Lance tensed but Hunk answered, "Something for the kitchen," Hunk shrugged, "We had some freetime so I roped Lance into helping."

"Uh huh." Shiro looked down at Lance in his arms, who was fidgeting nervously. 

Keith suddenly appeared behind him, "Guys, I found more wood for-" he froze when he saw Shiro, "--for the thing." 

Shiro squinted: Up. To. Something.

Keith's expression smoothed while he shifted the fairly large logs in his arms, "Shiro. Get out."

Shiro tried to cross his arms, and Lance steadied him when he when he forgot he couldn't. "Is this Christmas?"

Lance tugged on Shiro's waist and toward the exit, "It's nothing is what it is! We should help set up a shelter for the springs."

Shiro let himself be guided, but gave another look at Hunk and Keith, who were standing-by conspicuously, "I'm watching you, Keith," he said lowly.

Keith set down his logs and turned with his chest puffed out, "As your acting commanding officer, I'm telling you to not."

Shiro and Lance gasped halfway through the door: Keith _never_ pulled rank. Hunk made an "ohhH" expression and put a hand over his mouth in scandal; his was reaching the Gossip Machine for sure.

"Well then." Shiro said with a slight smirk, "Yes _sir_."

Keith's face turned red and Hunk hid behind his hand, visibly trying not to laugh. Lance tugged Shiro with urgency and did his best to ramble over him so he couldn't ask questions.

Up to something, indeed.

* * *

"He pulled rank!?" Allura gasped over her cup of tea - the white cups with a simple blue line across the rim that they saved from the Castleship.

" _He did_." Hunk confirmed, also over a cup of tea.

"What a thing to pull rank over," Krolia shook her head, holding her cup of tea as one would while hearing such news.

"Guys." Keith said wearily from the table next to Hunk and Allura. Kosmo whined in agreement from behind him.

Black's belly had been set up with two tables so they could eat dinner together, at least while they were resting on the ice planet that Pidge had creatively named "Cold". ("Our planet is literally named 'Dirt'," Pidge argued, "Let me have my fun."

"Wait, wait," Hunk added, "How about 'Freasemaititsauff'?"

'Cold' won out over other options.)

The tables were close and crowded but everyone could hear each other. It wasn't perfect, but it was nice to eat together when they usually had to have meals in the cockpits. The Lions had been set up with sensors to alert them if anything bigger than a small dog tried to enter the perimeter they'd set.

On one of the planets they foraged, Hunk had found leaves that could be ground into tea. Everyone had taken to tea time after dinner. With tea time came Tea Time Gossip Hour.

Shiro was laughing but kept up the act that he had been completely hurt while he watched Tea Time Gossip Hour take place at the expense of his boyfriend and _both_ his boyfriends' wretched _secrets_. Black's belly was alive with teasing chatter that night.

"It wasn't that big a deal," Keith protested into his cup. He was still in his Paladin armor after being called in from his watch shift. "He was _snooping._ "

Krolia raised an eyebrow from behind her son, watching his arguments deteriorate into childish bickering.

"No one reported to me." Shiro insisted. 

"We weren't done!" Allura said helpfully from her table.

"What _were_ you doing?" Romelle asked from beside Allura, looking at Lance and Keith. 

Lance shrunk, being the worst at keeping secrets, or at least lying about them. His lack of jabbering made his hiding very obvious.

"Absolutely nothing," Keith said with a straight face that fooled no one.

Lance finally burst, "You're all tyrants!"

Coran sang, "Those are the words of someone with something to hide~"

"You were the most on-board with the present-giving," Lance snapped irritably at Coran, who chortled and sipped his tea.

Allura decided to take pity on the boys and set her cup down, standing and smoothing out the single dress she had saved for special occasions, "I don't want to cut tea time short--" ("Oh thank god," Lance groaned) "But I have my gift ready."

Everyone perked up from around the tables to give Allura their full attention. She beamed, turning to face Coran, "My giftee was you," she said fondly, "What the Paladins described sounded a lot like our winter celebrations, did it not?"

Coran's mustache snuffled as he nodded, eyes glossing over in memory, "Indeed. Alteans would combat the yearly dark seasons with festivals. Lots of music and food! A grand time."

Allura smiled and nodded to the others, who listened to both, "I suppose this is a gift for everyone, but to celebrate our short rest, I tried to simulate the lights that would decorate Altean homes and buildings during festival season."

Coran absolutely glowed at the idea. Shiro sat beside him, and offered him a pat on the shoulder at the obvious display of emotion. 

"Keith," Allura turned to him, "Could you ask Black to dim her lights?"

Keith perked at being asked to participate and nodded. He closed his eyes and after a moment, the room darkened, only the faint glow of pathway lights visible. 

After a few moments there was an explosion of lights; speckles of all shades of blue lining Black's belly. At first it looked random, but once their eyes adjusted, the space travelers could see outlines implying buildings near and far, the impressions of food stands. The specks floated and shifted, something pulled from Allura's memory.

"Oh," Coran gasped, "This is lovely."

Romelle stood up to inspect the lights closer first. The others followed suit to look at Allura's meticulous detail.

"Is this what Altea looked like in the winter?" Romelle asked excitedly, following the little town Allura created, "Is there a path?"

"There's a path." Allura confirmed, gesturing to the direction that would lead toward Black's head, "I took it to the outside. I hope you all like it."

Lance leaned to see the glow against Keith's face, his eyes glittering with Allura's lights. He looked to the back of the room they had made their dining hall, and Shiro was looking at a small cluster of ancient buildings. Lance nudged Keith's side and gestured. Keith looked at Shiro and nodded.

Shiro startled when the boys appeared on either side of him. Lance immediately grabbed his arm, "Will you look at Allura's lights?" Lance asked.

Shiro looked at Lance looking hopefully at him. A few specks wandered to touch Lance's cheek and gently disintegrate, although he didn't seem to notice. Shiro glanced to Keith who smiled faintly. Shiro smiled back, "Sure."

The three walked through Black's gangways, lights brushing against the bulkheads and disappearing in pale blue wisps. The path brought them to Black's gaping mouth, opening straight to the hotspring.

Lights decorated the spring, giving the faint impression of buildings and decorated, unfamiliar trees and the flicker of people passing through. The water reflected the images, giving the wobbly illusion of passerby. The night was clear, and the sky shined bright against the scenery Allura had created.

Shiro's eyes sparkled, "Wow," he murmured.

Keith leaned into him, "Allura outdid herself."

"I was gonna fight for dudes first in the water," Lance said, eyes tracing the lights, "But I think I'll give her this one."

Shiro nudged him teasingly, "Well, that's kind of you."

They stood in quiet, and watched the others mill around the hot springs and snow.

* * *

Shiro went to his usual designated corner on top of a crate for bed, the lights having been lowered for nighttime. Shiro puzzled when his sleeping pad had been moved to the floor, significantly more spread out and _fluffier_ than usual. It took him a moment to realize it was also more occupied than usual. 

Lance's head poked out from the cocoon of blankets he'd made, "This is my spot for the night," he announced with a grin, "You're either sharing or have to leave."

Shiro smiled darkly, "Oh no," he drawled, finding where he kept his change of clothes, "The truest of tragedies to share my bed with you." He set about changing, aware of Lance's eyes on his back while he stripped. He paused after a moment, "Krolia and Coran?"

Keith chose that moment to return, still in his Paladin uniform after finishing his watch, "Traded for the night," Keith said, "We have until morning."

Lance made a happy noise from the nest and Shiro inched closer, "I'd be embarrassed," Shiro said, "But I think this group is past that."

Keith scoffed lightly as he pulled off his armor and hung it neatly in a makeshift closet in the corner of the room, "Mom and I are past that," he said, "Coran would have voiced his complaints. Loudly."

Lance wiggled to the side and lifted the covers, "Get in here."

Shiro had no protests slid in beside him, letting the warmth engulf him. Lance to immediately tucked into his chest while they adjusted, flinging his long limbs around Shiro's and pulling him close.

Shiro wriggled closer, happy to be clung to, "You're an octopus," Shiro accused. He laughed as Lance pressed kisses on his chin.

"All part of my plan," Lance said, lips curving into Shiro's neck, "You're trapped by my octopussy."

"Oh my god," Shiro barked out a laugh.

Keith finished removing his undersuit and stopped to just look fondly at his two boyfriends, who were well on their way to canoodling.

"Scoot," Keith said, nudging Shiro with his foot, "It's cold out here."

Lance dramatically and needlessly flung a leg out to lift the covers. 

Keith laughed at him as he slid in, sandwiching Shiro between them. Keith started pressing kisses to the back of Shiro's neck at the same moment Lance decided to pay attention to Shiro's pecs.

The three settled in for the night.

* * *

Lance made an absolutely obscene noise as he sank into the hot spring's water. The spring they'd chosen had a natural shelf and made the perfect sitting spot, give or take some stray rocks they didn't have time to clear out. Black's mouth hung open as the beginning to the path that had been carved out by Yellow. They used Black as a shelter to change clothes and make a mad dash into the cold to the spring, the best they could do with such a time constraint. The other Lions lay in a circle around the spring to provide protection from the wind

Hunk scoffed from his corner, sitting near Coran, "Louder for the rest of us."

"Shut up." Lance said with exactly zero venom, "We haven't had a chance to relax in _years_." He floated a little closer to Keith, who kept a towel around his front, along with his swim trunks.

Keith let Lance bump into him, glancing down with an amused quirk on his lips, "Hasn't it only been three months for you?"

"Shush with your weird timey-whimey-fake-physics or whatever," Lance barely had his mouth out of the water and seemed like he was about to fall asleep.

Coran sighed like he was about to doze, "It was very kind of Pidge to think to recreate the textiles generators. I would have assumed to do this soak in the nude."

Keith looked torn between laughing and distinctly uncomfortable, while Hunk let out a loud bark of laughter, "Well, team-bonding and all that."

"I have zero complaints," Lance burbled from the water. He flinched when Keith flicked some water at his face.

"You're too hot." Keith said; Lance had attached himself to his side.

"Thanks, you too."

Keith splashed a palmful of water into Lance's face, which deteriorated for everyone in the spring very quickly.

* * *

Shiro walked the outside perimeter of their little camp in his full Paladin uniform. The walk took fifteen to twenty minutes depending on his pace and stride. Despite Pidge's repeated checks for lifeforms, nothing came up in the near area bigger than a large dog and the volcano remained quiet. He could hear the close laughter of his boyfriends and Hunk and Coran, but it did little to set him at ease. The sight of snow, even half-melted from the hotspring and nearby geysers set him on edge.

He startled when Krolia was at the beginning of his rounds, near Blue's hind end, obviously waiting for him, also in her full uniform. She smiled kindly, "Good morning Shiro. Anything to report?"

Shiro's shoulders relaxed, "No." He sighed sheepishly, "You all probably think I'm paranoid acting this way on an uninhabited planet."

Krolia approached him and gently pat his arm, fitting herself near his side. He allowed it, comfortable with her much-taller presence. "Of course not," she said, "Diligence in a soldier is what saves lives. We never know what's waiting for us." She looked down at him, "I'll walk with you. I wanted to give your gift."

Shiro took a moment to realize what she was referring to and flustered a bit, although he started their pace around the Lions again, "You don't have to..." he mumbled, "This is mostly for the younger ones..."

Krolia scoffed, "You are also a child." 

Shiro was almost offended, but knew she wasn't trying to insult him.

"Besides, this isn't a gift for a child." Krolia kept her pace even with Shiro's, looking at the tall peak of the volcano that protected them, "I'll be honest, I'm embarrassed to a degree."

Shiro looked up at her curiously.

"Traditionally," Krolia started thoughtfully, "Galra parents give their blessings of unions together. They give gifts to the other family who return them in kind. _Traditionally_ ," she added, "Galra are functionally intersex, although they appear male to humans by default. It's not about an exchange of power, but an exchange of family traditions, and celebration."

While her explanation was a little dry, he thought it sounded like a nice tradition. He stayed quiet, almost sure where this was going.

"Keith's father is no longer with us," she said sadly, "And I suspect I will never meet your family."

Shiro's heart clenched. He looked up to her, "What about Lance's?" he asked.

Krolia smiled longingly, "Perhaps. I would like to meet the family that raised such a kind boy." She touched Shiro's shoulder and paused their perimeter check. He turned to her fully. She stood at full height and puffed her chest proudly, "I am not creative in the ways the others are, to give you a physical gift."

She beamed at Shiro,"So my gift to you is a glimpse into Galra culture, and my blessing to be with my son as long has he still wants you." She reached to her thigh and pulled out an item from a pocket space similar to how the Paladins carried their bayards, "This is..." she finally seemed embarrassed, "meant to be a placeholder for a physical gift. When I can find something more appropriate."

Shiro let her take his hand and drop something into it. He started to thank her, but his mouth hung open as he registered what she'd handed him.

It was one of the knives they'd saved from the kitchen; Shiro started laughing.

Krolia turned an impressive shade of purple, " _Traditionally_ I'd give you a family heirloom or something meaningful, but..."

Shiro moved in to hug her the best he could, "Thank you, Krolia." He said between laughter. He had to move his head so his face didn't end up in her breasts. He felt her lay a hand on his back, "I want happiness for Keith, also."

* * *

Later that night, Lance crawled into the nest they still had set up. When Keith left to use the bathroom Lance rolled over into him and asked, "Did Krolia also give you a steak knife?"

Shiro snorted his laughter and said yes. Lance laughed back and kissed his face everywhere he could reach.

* * *

Coran and Romelle led the Gift-Giving Extravaganza, both being the most energetic. By now everyone knew who was giving to whom, so it wasn't much of a secret, but everyone was excited anyway.

"Some of you have already given their gifts!" Coran said to the group as a whole. They had all eaten lunch and were feeling lazy and happy.

Romelle bounced on her toes, clearly ecstatic about her gift, "I would like to start, if no one has objections?" No one did, so she proudly presented Hunk with a bouquet of flowers.

Hunk flushed happily and reflexively put the bouquet to his nose, when he realized they were made of paper.

"They're paper Juniberry flowers," Romelle explained with excitement, "Pidge made me the papers and I folded them," she was suddenly shy, "There's no smell, but I hope you like them."

"They're wonderful," Hunk said insistently, holding the bouquet, "They're going right in my cockpit." Romelle beamed as he refused to let anyone hold the flowers, "I guess I'll give mine next," he said. He had made an approximation of Keith's favorite blueberry of muffin. Keith thanked him profusely and hid the muffin away for after dinner.

Keith presented Krolia with a carved a wolf from a piece of bark he found in the area. Later that night, he showed Lance and Shiro the twin birds he made for them ("I didn't want to give them to you in front of everyone," he said, "I didn't have time to make one for everyone." Lance perched it on his flight chair in Red. Shiro kept his rolled in his pillow).

Shiro approached Romelle empty-handed, "I'm not great at deciding on gifts," he said sheepishly to Romelle, who seemed excited no matter what, "But I used to braid my cousins' hair, and remember most of them." Shiro shuffled awkwardly, "I was going to offer to braid your hair in a different style."

Romelle's eyes went sparkly, "I love that."

While Shiro braided Romelle's hair, Coran approached Lance with flourish, "THE GIFT OF SONG," Coran boomed, somehow producing an instrument that looked suspiciously like an accordion, "I shall play you a seasonal diddy!"

Coran had been sharing a lot of songs during their travels and was actually a talented singer. As he taught Lance the words, Allura sang along until everyone knew it by heart.

After everyone had settled down from Coran's song, Lance turned to Pidge with the same sheepish expression Shiro had, "My gift is sort of lame." Pidge cocked her head and waited patiently. Lance puffed his chest, "But, I gift you with two weeks of my turn on the Mercury Gameflux and one," he squinted at her pointedly, " _One_ cleaning favor in Green."

Pidge, for one, was perfectly happy with double Mercury Gameflux time.

Being the last person, Pidge had a small bundle beside her and presented it to Allura who took it with curiosity. "The others had me running around re-making the textiles machine," Pidge said, although she seemed rather pleased with herself, "So I got your measurements from the mice and made you a new dress, in different colors."

Allura let the dress unfold, a dress almost exactly like her old one she used for diplomatic missions, but in mostly dark purple with dark blue accents. 

"Thank you, Pidge," Allura cried, wrapping her arms around Pidge's neck, "It's lovely."

While everyone chattered and talked, Lance pulled Keith to the side, holding a small black bundle that he had stashed away in the room. Keith noticed Pidge inching up beside him with a grin on her face.

"So," Lance said, looking at the bundle, "I had Pidge's help, which is why I," he turned his face to her pointedly, "gave her a totally exorbitant amazing gift. _Two_ weeks instead of one."

Pidge smirked.

Lance held out the bundle, "Anyway, here ya go."

Keith unfolded the bundle curiously, blinking when he recognized the dark material for what it was. "Oh." A wide grin creeped on his face, "I didn't. This is-"

Lance puffed his chest out proudly, "You're welco-" he wheezed when Keith hugged him so hard his ribs hurt. Keith gave Pidge a slightly less exuberant hug, mostly because she had to stand on her toes to reach him.

Pidge pulled back and explained with her hands on her hips, "I high-key wanted to make it a lightweight armor, but my generator isn't nearly ready yet," she tapped her foot, "But it should be lightweight and flexible enough to fit under you Marmora armor."

Keith's eyes sparkled as he looked at the binder, something he'd sorely missed, "Thank you."

Hunk suddenly appeared beside them, still holding his flowers, "It is Extra Gift Giving time? Shiro's is ready whenever you are. You're _welcome_ by the way," he nudged Keith and Lance pointedly but good-naturedly, "It wasn't easy getting it set up _and_ making lunch."

Lance and Keith shared a look, and Lance beamed, "Let's get Shiro."

* * *

Shiro couldn't help but laugh at how excited Lance and Keith were to drag him away from the party. Well, Lance physically dragged him by the hand, while Keith trailed after them, smiling faintly even as Shiro protested.

"You guys really didn't have to," Shiro said. He noticed that Black's gangways still had the remnants of Allura's speckled lights bumping against the bulkheads, "I didn't even do anything for you two--"  
"Shiro shut up," Keith said, and Shiro gave him an offended look, "You've done plenty."

Shiro knew when he was being ganged up on.

"Besides," Lance added, squeezing Shiro's hand insistently even as he tugged him along, "I have a feeling everyone will wanna play with this. Hunk was really excited."

Shiro sighed and let himself be escorted to Black's cockpit.

When they entered, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. Set up in front of the flight chair was Lance's cellphone, with what appeared to be a Galra sentry's arm poised over where the button to take a picture would be. Shiro's eyes followed a fairly simple contraption made of wood - a series of pulleys and levers that led down to the hand. At the start of the contraption was a weighted ball that would set the whole thing off.

Shiro took it all in, and smiled, "Guys."

Lance beamed and tugged him to the flight chair, "Sit! We're taking a selfie."

Shiro let himself be sat but couldn't stop the instinct to fiddle with needlessly elaborate selfie-taker, "What made you guys make this?"

Keith settled himself behind Shiro while Lance got ready to set the contraption off, "I just remembered you laughing at those stupid videos of robots feeding baby dolls but like, punching them instead, and Rube Goldberg machines that fed someone breakfast."

Lance grinned, "And we didn't have a lot of selfies of us three."

Shiro leaned back and gently set a lever back in place, "Let's do this."

Lance made an excited noise, "Turn the phone on!" He pushed the ball, before rushing to sit himself next to his boyfriends.

The ball rolled, setting off a lever that set off a pulley, until, right when the phone's screen was about to turn off, the Galra arm took a selfie. Shiro was grinning joyfully while Keith looked at him fondly, and Lance posed too dramatically to be serious.

"This is ridiculous," Shiro practically giggled at the machine, "I love it." He looked between his boyfriends and pulled Keith down with his good arm to hug him. Lance leaned into him from the other side.

Lance spoke softly, "I just wanted to do something nice in the middle of all this."

Shiro turned his head into Lance's hair, "You did good."

Lance made a happy noise and Keith snuffled as close as he could get with the arm of the flight chair in the way.

* * *

Lance cried when they deconstructed their camp around the hotsprings, all in full uniform to prepare for the exit from the atmosphere of Cold. Red, Blue and Green sat upright, no longer laying down to form a circle, while Yellow prepared to fill in the pathway that had been carved out.

"Goodbye," he fake sobbed, waving a white napkin in farewell, "My skin was most soft. My acne cleared up. My crops were watered."

Allura pat his shoulder in sympathy while she helped roll up towels from the setup they had in Black's mouth, "It was a much-needed break, but it's time to continue."

The earth rumbled while Hunk used Yellow to refill the pathway. His spoke over the comms, "Yeah Lance," he started, joke evident in his tone, "You'll have to find other ways to get--"

Lance screeched.

"Moist." Hunk ended, enunciated the "st" pointedly, his grin audible.

Krolia's voiced her complaint, "For the love of the Ancients, don't let him make that noise again."

Keith interrupted the bickering, "Is everything out of the spring area? We didn't forget anything?"

Allura and Lance checked Black's mouth again. Together they grabbed the leftover towels and a stray flip flop that might have been Coran's.

Blue suddenly lowered her head, and Romelle came sprinting out of Blue's mouth, "I'll check again!" She announced, narrowly missing Yellow's still-moving paw.

"Careful!" Hunk yelped into his mic.

Lance waved Allura off so he could sneak into Black's cockpit, perking when Shiro, Keith and Kosmo were the only three present, Kosmo curled into a ball with his eyes shut. Shiro turned to acknowledge him, and Lance put his finger to his lips. Sneaking up behind Keith, Lance grabbed Keith's red helmet and tugged it off.

Keith looked up, frazzled and hair puffing over his face, "Lance-"

Lance grinned and pulled his own helmet off, setting them both to the floor and moving to Keith's front, leaning over him, "I'm getting my last minute smooches before we set off. You and Shiro get to see each other all the time." Keith pouted at him but allowed it. Lance peaked up from the seat and met Shiro's eyes, who seemed content watching them. "You too!"

Shiro laughed softly and moved in. Lance hauled himself around Shiro's shoulders.

Keith groused while Lance nipped at Shiro's lip and the two made out in front of him, "Can I have my helmet back?"

Kosmo whined at the attention the others were getting.

Lance laughed and released Shiro to pet Kosmo, "Yes Mister Drooly, no kisses for you but I'll give you last minute hugs too."

Kosmo licked his face to spite him.

Shiro retrieved Keith's helmet for him and snuck his own kiss before Keith went back into leader-mode. Keith smiled up on him and replaced his helmet. Hunk was complaining, "--eady to go if _Lance would get into his Lion._ "

Keith raised his eyebrows and glanced over his shoulder to see the cockpit was still noticeably lacking Coran and his mother. He looked pointedly at Lance and said, "Lance, get to your Lion."

Lance gave him puppy eyes and grabbed onto Kosmo's mane, "I'm being distracted by a space wolf."

Keith arched a brow, "Lance says he's being distracted by a space wolf."

Pidge scoffed from her end, " _I'm sure that's it._ "

Lance sighed and stood, now covered in wolf fur and slobber. He pat himself off, "One more round with the boyfriends."

Shiro rolled his eyes and dipped in to hug him, not quite willing to allow another round of kissing with Lance covered in canine drool. "Let's get going. We'll have all the time in the world when we get home."

Lance huffed and gently bonked his head against Shiro's helmet, "Hey, Shiro?"

Shiro smiled softly, "Yes?"

"I love you."

Shiro rested his chin on Lance's head, "And I you."


End file.
